~ P O K E R A R T I C L E S ~
Finding Your Best Seat in the House
So you've decided to take the plunge and join the online poker community. You've picked out a trustworthy host, downloaded the software, and took a small chunk out of your retirement fund to make that first deposit. So what's the next step... [continue]
Losing Like a Winner
Yesterday I told myself I was done with online poker. Enough was enough. I was done with the fish and the calling stations and the ridiculous suckouts and miracle draws that would seemingly never end. In a few hours of limit Hold'em I saw my Kings go down to a runner-runner flush... [continue]
The Art of Telling Tells
There's a scene in the popular poker movie Rounders where Matt Damon's character, Mike McDermott, carefully observes heavily-accentuated Russian Teddy KGB (John Malkovich) indulging in the timeless act of twisting apart an Oreo cookie before consuming it's sugary goodness. If you've seen the movie... [continue]
The Allure of the Ace
What is it about an Ace that makes it so irresistibly playable in Texas Hold'em? I'm not talking about when you look down to find the Pocket Rockets about to blast off from under your hands; that's another situation entirely. I'm talking about all the other Ace hands, from Ace-Deuce to Ace-King... [continue]
The Toughest Home Game I've Ever Played
Is there some sort of gene that's responsible for decent poker skills? Some sort of genetic trait that gives me the ability to dump garbage hands and not call when I know I don't have the odds to draw to a gutshot? Because if there is, I think it must skip a generation like baldness tends to... [continue]
The Lingering Sting of a Freezeout
Some people stare at the table in a trance-like state as all of their chips are slowly dragged away; some collapse onto the floor, curl into the fetal position, and weep uncontrollably; some lose control and begin to berate their opponents and lash out at anything nearby; and some keep their cool, offer a polite "nice hand," and try to walk it off... [continue]
What do you Bring to the Table?
No matter how good of a poker player you are, you're bound to have a few leaks in your game. Maybe you get "lucky" feelings telling you to chase inside straight draws. Maybe you can't escape from premium pairs even when the board looks unfavorable. Then again, maybe it's just you... [continue]
Playing to When
"Time is money" goes the modern businessman cliche, a phrase so devoid of logic that it's likely to make anyone feel simultaneously intelligent and dimwitted just for saying it. The fact of the matter is time can be lots of things. It can be the reason for all the dollar signs on your paycheck, it can be a nice weekend getaway with family or friends, and it can be the difference between a gold and silver medal at the Olympics... [continue]
All-in Schmall-in
We all know that the game of poker generally tends to reward aggression. Betting, raising, re-raising, and check-raising are all moves that can potentially win hands right then and there, even when your particular hand may not be the best at the table. Checking and calling, on the other hand, are the weaker poker tools you have to work with and leave you with only one way to win a pot – to actually have the best hand at showdown... [continue]
Money Ain't a Thing
The other week I was doing a bit of spectating at one of my favorite online poker rooms, watching a friend of mine play in some little no-name tournament. During the second level, so still relatively early in the tournament, one particular hand played out as follows: An early position player open raises 5 times the big blind... [continue]
Of Math and Mathematicians: A Poker Paradox (Part I)
As you should all know by now, and as I discussed in my last article, the House of Representatives recently passed a bill – the Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act (IGPEA) – aimed at completely banning most forms of online betting, including of course, all real-money poker rooms... [continue]
~ Back To: Poker Strategy Overview
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